Quick release buckle



Sept. l, 1959 E. PRETE, JR 2,901,794v

QUICK RELEASE BUCKLE INVENTOR. ERNEST PRETE, JR.

United States Patent O QUICK RELEASE BUCKLE Ernest Prete, Jr., Van Nuys, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Gordon D. Brown, Beverly Hills, Calif.

Application Decemberl 27, 1955, Serial No. 555,380

6 Claims. (Cl. 24--75) The present invention relates generally to buckles and is more particularly concerned with a quick release type buckle as generally utilized in connection with safety belts of the type worn by occupants of high speed vehicles such as aircraft and automobiles, firemen and other personnel.

It is `one object of the present invention to provide a quick release belt buckle of simple construction, wherein the operation of connecting and releasing requires no particular skill. A further object is to provide a quick release buckle construction of the type having a swingable handle for releasing latched separable members, but whe-rein the separable members may be moved to a latched position without moving the swingable handle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a buckle of the herein described type, wherein readily detachable webbing gripping bars are mounted for floating movement, and are retained in assembled position by the webbing threaded thereover.

Still another object is to provide a buckle for a belt of webbing or other suitable material, which is readily and easily adjustable as to length for different users, and for various conditions, and which will grippingly engage the webbing in the adjusted position.

Further objects of lthe invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limita-tions thereon.'

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of :a quick release buckle embodying the Ifeatures of the present invention, a portion being cut away to show certain details of construction;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of the same;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the buckle, taken substantially on line 4--4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a generally longitudinal Section, taken substantially on line 5 5 of Fig. 1; and

Figs. 6a and 6b are action views successively diagrammatically representing thelatching operation of the latching mechanism and connecting belt fitting.

Referring now to the drawings, for illustrative purposes, the quick release buckle of the present invention comprises essentially two structures A and B which are adapted to separably interconnect the ends of a flexible member such as a safety belt of webbing or other suitable material.

'Referring more specifically to the drawings, structure A comprises an essentially channel shapedl frame 10 in which there is a bottom wall 11 and spaced side flanges Mice 16 which extends substantially at right angles or normal to the bottom wall and opens into the upper edge margin of the associated side flange. The L-shaped notches 14 are utilized to facilitate removably mounting a transversely extending slide bar y17 on the side flanges, the slide bar being generally of round configuration and having notches or end grooves 18 and 19 at each end which cooperate to form a web portion 20 adapted to be inserted through the open ends of the notches and to be positioned normally in the leg 15 of the notches so as to slidably support the slide bar for lateral movements in a plane substantially parallel to the bottom wall 11. The ends of the slide bar project to the exterior of the side flanges to facilitate manually sliding of the slide bar by grasping its projecting ends. The portion of the slide bar extending between the side flanges may be knurled or otherwise roughened to increase its gripping effect.

There is also a locking bar 21 which is cooperatively associated with the slide bar 17, the locking bar having an edge groove 22, one wall of this groove being extended to form a projecting ledge 23. Adjacent the open ends of the legs 16 of the L-shaped notches 414, the side flanges are inwardly deflected to form fingers 24 and 25 which are adapted to extend into the ends of the groove 22 and provide supports under the `associated ends of the ledge Z3 upon which the locking bar may be slidably moved towards the slide bar, and may be disassembled and Vassembled along with the slide bar without the utilization of any tools. The edge of the locking bar which faces the slide bar` is angularly inclined as shown at Z6 to form a substantially flat surface which is serrated or otherwise roughened to increase its gripping effect.

The slide bar and locking bar cooperate with the bottom wall 11 to form a passage for a web strap or belt which is formed with a loop portion 27 which eX- tends around the slide bar with a lower run 28 passing below the locking bar 21 and along the bottom wall 11, while an upper run 29 extends from the loop between the slide bar and locking bar, and then thence over the lower run below the locking bar. With this arrangement, tension on the upper and lower runs of the webbing will act to slide the slide bar in a direction towards the locking bar so as to forcibly grip the upper run between :their confronting surfaces and thus hold and anchor the structure A to the webbing threaded between the slide bar and locking bar.

The webbing, however, may be readily adjusted by releasing the slide bar simply by grasping the projecting ends of the slide bar between the fingers and moving it away from the locking bar, whereupon Lthe upper and lower runs are freed for adjusting movement.

A further feature of the construction just described I resides in the utilization ofthe webbing to retain .the

12 and 13 which project upwardly from the bottom wall.

slide bar and lock-ing bar in assembled relation Iand prevent their being disassembled so long as the webbing extends between the slide bar and locking bar. Hovever, upon removal of the webbing, the slide bar and locking bar may be readily disassembled for replacement, repair or for other purposes.

The latching and quick release mechanism will now be described. At the opposite end of the frame 10, the side flan-ges form supports for the ends of a pivot pin 30 upon which there is -swingably mounted a handle member 31 of generally plate-like construction, this handle having an enlarged end portion through which the pivot pin extends, and which defines camming surfaces 32 and 33, as shown in Fig. 4, which are in confronting relation with the facing surface of the bottom wall 11, but spaced therefrom. As shown in Fig. l, the handle member 31 is impelled by means of a coiled spring 34 in a direction to lmove the outer end of the handle into engagement with the upper surface of the locking bar 21.

One end of the spring 34 is anchored in the adjacent l side fange 12, while the opposite end of the spring 34 is anchored in the adjacent material of the handle.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, a pair of latch dogs 35 and 35 are supported in divergent relation on the pivot pin 30, the pivot pin being carried through elongate openings 37 respectively provided in each of the latch dogs. The latch dogs are resiliently retained in diverging relation by means of a coiled spring 33 which surrounds a retaining stud 39 on the under surface of the handle 31, and has defiected end portions 46 and 41 which bear against the confronting surfaces of the latch dogs to spread these ends of the dogs apart until they abut movement restraining shoulders 42 and 43 formed in the adjacent material of the handle. As shown in Fig. 5, the latch dogs 35 and 36 have a projecting edge portion 44 in each case which in the normal position of the handle lextend into a generally segmental opening 45 in the bottom wall 1i.

With the above handle construction and associated latch dogs, the latch dogs and handle will normally occupy a position as shown in Fig. 5, wherein the latch dogs are in operative position in the path of movement of an inserted connection fitting 46 comprising the stnucture B, and which will subsequently be described in detail. However, lby manually swinging the handle 3l in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 5, the handle may Ibe moved to a raised position as shown in dotted lines. ln the raised position, the latch dogs will be moved to an inoperative position in which the edge portions 44 will be moved out of the opening 4S and out of the path of movement of the connection fitting 45 to an inoperative position of the latch dogs. In this position, the connection fitting will be released for separation from the structure A.

More specifically, the connection fitting 46, which comprises the structure B, is in the form of a plate member having a transversely extending slot 47 adjacent one end through which an end of a belt of webbing or other material may be threaded and formed into a securing loop. The connection fitting yhas a pair of spaced finger members 48 and 49 which terminate at their outermost ends in confronting end portions StB and Sll which are in spaced apart relation, as shown in Figs. 6a and 6b. To interconnect the structures A and B, the fingers 48 and 49 of the connection fitting 46 are inserted into the end of the frame l in the space between the cam surfaces 32 and 33v and the confronting surface of the bottom Wall ll. The initial position of insertion is shown in Fig. 6a in full lines. lt will be observed that the fingers 50 and Si engage the outer surfaces of the most closely positioned ends of the latch dogs, and that as the projecting ends Sti and 51 ride over the engaged surfaces of the latch dogs, the latch dogs will be moved into substantially parallel relation as indicated lin dotted lines, against the force of the spring 3S. When the connection fitting reaches fully inserted position, as shown in Fig. 6b in `full lines, the projections 50 and 51 of the fingers 48 and 49 will have been moved to a position clear of the latch dogs, thus permitting the latch dogs to be impelled by the spring 38 into a latching position behind the projections and 5l, thus latchingly securing the connection fitting against withdrawal and separation from structure A. However, at any time that it is desired to quickly release the connection fitting, this is easily accomplished by manually grasping the lever 31 and rotating it in the manner previously explained so as to carry the latching dogs to an inoperative position above the fingers 48 and 49, whereupon the connection fitting is released and may be separated from the structure A.

Various modifications may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention, and, hence, I do not wish to be restricted to the specic form shown or uses mentioned, except to the extent indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A quick release buckle, comprising: a frame structure having side anges; a handle; a pivot pin supporting said handle from said side flanges for swinging movements; a pair of latch dogs carried by said handle and movable therewith as a unit, said latch dogs in one position of the handle being disposed in an inoperative position, and in another position of the handle being disposed in an operative position; means supporting said latch dogs for relative independent movements towards each other; a spring opposing said latter movement; and a belt connection fitting adapted for insertion into said frame, said latch dogs in operative position being in the path of travel of said fitting and acting to interlock with said fitting and retain it against separation from the frame, but upon movement by said handle to inoperative position permitting separation of the fitting from said frame.

2. A quick release bruckle, comprising: a frame lstructure having side fianges; a lbelt connection fitting having a pair of spaced finger elements adapted for removable insertion into said frame; a handle; a pivot pin supporting said handle on said side flanges for swinging movement; a pair of latch dogs supported on said pin for unitary swinging movement with said handle, whereby said dogs may be positioned in operative and inoperative positions, said dogs lbeing further supported for relative movements in said operative position into latching relation with respect to said inserted finger elements; and spring means for normally biasing said dogs rtowards latchirrg position.

3. A belt buckle, comprising: aframe structure; a belt connection fitting having a pair of spaced fingers adapted for removable insertion into said frame; a pair of latch dogs supported by said frame for independent swinging movements in two planes having degree angular relation; a spring acting to bias said dogs apart in one of said planes of movement into diverging relationship, said dogs being moved towards each other by the insertion of said fingers and upon completion of said in- Sertion being impelled away from each other into said divcrging relationship to interlock with and retain said fingers against removal; and manually operable means for moving said dogs as a unit in the other of said planes of movement out of said interlocking position with said fingers, whereupon said fitting may be removed and separated from said frame.

4. A belt buckle, comprising: a frame structure; a belt connection fitting having a pair of spaced fingers adapted for removable insertion into said frame; a latch supported by said frame fory independent swinging movements in planes having 90 degree angular relation; a spring acting in one of said planes of movement of the latch to bias it towards an interlocking position with respect to the inserted fingers of said fitting; and manually operable means for moving said latch in the other of said planes of movement from said interlocking position to noninterlocking position with respect to said fingers.

5. A belt buckle, comprising: a frame stmcture; a belt connection fitting adapted for insertion into said frame structure; a latch supported by said frame for independent swinging movements in planes having 90` degree angular relation; a spring acting in one of said planes of movement of the latch to bias it towards a latching position with respect to the inserted ttin'g; and manually operable means for moving said latch in the other of `said planes of movement to latching and nonla-tching positions with respect to said fitting.

' 6. A belt buckle, comprising: a frame structure; a belt connection fitting adapted for insertion into said frame structure; a latch supported -by said frame structure for movement to latching and nonlatching positions with respect to the inserted fitting; a spring biasingl said latch towards latching position to automatically oppose separation of the inserted fitting andl frame; and manually 5 Operable means for moving said latch to non'latc'hing posi- 1,881,799 tion independently of said spring action. 2,458,810 2,542,044 References Cited in the le of this patent 2,743,497

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 1,209,369 Wood Dec. 19, 1916 1,548,023 Cowell Aug. 4, 1925 260,448

6 Mashek Oct. 11, 1932 Varney et a1 J an. 11, 1949 Miller et al. Feb. 20, 1951 Davis May 1, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS Italy Sept. 19, 1928 

